Chasing Fairies
by Hiraethe
Summary: When fairies fall, who picks them up? A simple mission for Team Natsu turns into something much more serious. Friendship.
1. Death in the Dark

**Hello fellow fairies! Perhaps a few of you have realized that I have not updated my Halloween fanfiction. Others, who are perhaps more observative, have realized that it's not even under my list of stories at all! This is because I have decided to discontinue it. Sorry! Anyway, this gives me the opportunity to write a plot based story. Namely, the one you are reading right now.**

* * *

"Natsu, I'm hungry," Happy moaned, "Can we stop soon for some fish?"

"Oh please," Carla retorted, her voice condescending. "You're always hungry. Hold out for a while longer, will you?" The blue exceed looked down dejectedly and nodded. The group continued in silence, until the Salamander turned around with a big smile on his face.

"We're here, guys!" he said. Natsu kicked open the doors, approaching the front desk confidently. A thin blonde woman was sitting at the counter reading Sorcerer's Weekly. She glanced up at them coldly, throwing aside her magazine and pulling out a clip board.

"We're here for the mission," Erza said. The blonde smiled slightly, before marking it down on a piece of paper.

"I see," she responded. "As we mentioned on our request, there has been a small dark guild terrorizing our village during nightfall. We were hoping that you would help us?" Erza nodded, taking the blonde's hands in her's with an endearing smile.

"Of course. Fairy Tail never fails," she said, turning back to her blonde sighed in relief, before motioning them to the staircase.

"Thank you all so much," she said, smiling again, "...You all better get your rest for the fight tonight."

* * *

"Gray-san, don't look!"

"...Oh, sorry."

Wendy blushed, covering her body with a towel. Gray smiled at her reaction, reaching over to ruffle her rich blue hair.

"Hey, it's nothing to be scared of. You know, I bathed with Erza all the time when I was younger, so I've basically seen everything," he said, a grin on his face. The dragon slayer didn't see how this would comfort her. Wendy gave him a perplexed look, before putting on her clothes quickly.

Perhaps it wasn't the most fortunate arrangement. Makarov had rented three rooms for the mission, and Natsu, who snored too loudly for anyone to stand him, had gotten one for himself. Lucy and Erza had immediately claimed the one next to the Salamander, leaving Gray and Wendy to make do with each other's company. While Lucy found it extremely adorable, the ice mage wasn't at all comfortable.

Not that he didn't like Wendy, of course. She was like a little sister to him, and, even if she didn't know it, he felt a strong protective attitude towards her. It sometimes scared him how fragile she was-yet how tough she acted, even though there was no need to.

"Um, Gray-san...are you okay?" Wendy asked. His eyes had been focused on her face for a long time..yet he didn't seem to be looking at her, really. She touched his hand quickly, and his eye's widened, and he hugged her quickly.

"Gray...,"

"Yeah, sorry again," he said, letting go of her before getting out of the bed. He looked out into the pastel sunset that foamed over the hills of emerald grass, and he grinned. Wendy joined him, holding Carla close to her chest, and she smiled up at him.

"This'll be an easy mission, right Gray?" she asked him, and he nodded reassuringly. A scarlet head popped into their room, her bangs covering one of her eyes.

"Gray, we're leaving in ten minutes. Where are your clothes?" she asked curtly, examining him. He looked down at his naked body in embarrassment, giving her a sheepish smile before throwing on a t-shirt. Erza laughed knowingly, exiting the room and closing the door.

* * *

Gray and Erza climbed up one of the nearby trees, hiding among its branches. The scarlet looked at him.

"Gray, you can fight better when you've stripped, yes?" Erza asked him, and he felt a cold sweat form on the back of his neck. He looked at her nervously, not quite sure how to respond to her peculiar question.

"Uh, well...yes," he said slowly, before Erza flung the t-shirt off of his chest, and stuffed it in one of her pockets.

"We don't want you losing anymore t-shirts to your habit,then," she said, and Gray nodded before he grinned. A large group of mages were making their way to the village, and both of them jumped down from the trees in unision. But, Natsu and Lucy had gotten there first.

"Fire Dragon's Wing Attack!"

A significant amount of the mages went flying, and Natsu smirked. However, Lucy seemed slightly perplexed at the matter.

"They are extremely weak...," she muttered. "Even normal villagers could stand up against them. I wonder why-" Before she could finish, a number of mages launched an attack on her. She took out her whip, hitting them with precision. Natsu smiled, giving her a thumbs up.

"Nice, Lucy!," he said, before destroying a few more himself. He looked at Gray, Erza, and Wendy. They had split up among different places of the battlefield.

"Lucy's right," the ice mage said. "They sure are weak. Hell, they can't even kill my boredom.". Erza laughed at his statement, changing into her heaven's wheel armor.

"I feel bad for them," she murmured , aiming her swords. "For this will be the last blow."

And, within a few seconds, all the mages were impaled. Natsu snickered, admiring her work.

"Well, I guess the party's over. Let's go,". Gray said, and everyone made their way back to the inn.

* * *

Lucy opened her eyes. The room was dark, and Erza, who had insisted on bathing with the boys in the evening, was now fast asleep. The blonde wiped the weariness off of her eyes, going over to the kitchen.

She turned on the lights. A folded piece of paper was placed on the counter. She picked it up, and her eyes widened. A gasp escaped her mouth, and she looked around fervently. A silhouette emerged from the darkness.

"I see you've read our note,". A voice said, and she opened her mouth to scream. However, nothing came out. She felt her eyes close.

And there was darkness.

* * *

 **OoOoh, cliffhanger! This story was already outlined before it was written, so I won't be abandoning it like I did my Halloween fic. Please review, because I love those things.**

 **~Hiraethe**


	2. Yesterday Betrayal

**Hello! Here's another chapter for you, which is much longer, and hopefully much better. In case you are wondering, this story will have a) six chapters b)many friendship pairings and c)no romance (well, save for Grayza. It can be really seen different ways for that one).**

* * *

"Lucy!"

Erza cursed under her breath. She knew something was off when Lucy had not been in bed with her that morning, yet she refused to assume the worst. The Scarlet checked under the bed, and grimaced. Throwing open Natsu's door, she began to shake him violently.

"Whaa...stop, Erza," the Salamander mumbled, throwing a pillow at her. She snarled, shaking him even harder. Natsu, who never took her seriously in this situation, continued to ignore her, drifting back into a peaceful slumber.

"Listen, Natsu...," she said, her voice breaking slightly, "We don't have time for this." The pink haired teen looked at her suspiciously, squirming into a sitting position and crossing his arms. The air in the room thickened. He shied away from her intense glare.

"What? Is something wrong?" he asked. Erza closed her eyes as she sighed, and she massaged her temples. This definitely wouldn't be easy for Natsu to hear, however, if they were to get anywhere with the problem, she would have to tell him.

"Lucy is missing."

Natsu's eyes widened, and he looked towards the edge of his room. Four figures burst through the door. Gray advanced towards Erza quickly.

"Lucy is WHAT?!" he yelled, and Wendy, who was also with him, looked down at the floor in worry. Happy, who didn't know _what_ to feel, hid behind Gray quietly. Natsu swallowed, a ball of worry welling up in his stomach. He knew Lucy could take care of herself...but, what was going on here? He shook his head, not wanting to think of the multiple gruesome possibilities.

"Before we jump to conclusions," Erza said, turning to the two boys, "We should split up. I want all of us to get hard at work searching for her." Gray raised his hand, a small blush on his face.

"What if she is in the bathroom?" the ice mage asked, and Carla face palmed. Erza looked at him as if the answer was obvious.

"I don't see what the problem would be. You both have seen have seen her naked before, be it accidental or purposeful. Besides, a little skinship is perfectly normal among guild members, especially since both of you boys are such close friends of her's." she responded, and they nodded quickly. Wendy was tempted to say how _unormal_ it was, in contrast, but swallowed her thoughts. Erza would most likely not get it anyway.

Natsu, who was now fully awake, sprung into action. He was the first to leave the room, calling out her name at full volume. Gray was second, fervently checking every nook and cranny. Wendy and Carla entered the kitchen.

Carla came across a piece of paper, and opened it. She gasped, and her hands began to tremble. As soon as she found her voice to speak, she called the others.

"I found something!" Carla yelled, and the other members of Team Natsu quickly came to join her. Erza took the note from her, and her eyes widened. She bit her lip. Natsu tapped his foot impatiently, looking at her warily.

"Well?" he snapped. Erza gulped, giving him a confused look. The fire dragon slayer tried again. "Well, what does it say?"

"It says 'Goodbye Lucy'," she murmured, and everyone was taken aback. Gray was the first one who dared to speak.

"Goodbye Lucy?" he repeated, his voice trembling in worry. "Does that mean that she's...," Erza shook her head furiously.

"I don't think so. But it does mean that someone else knew that we accepted this request. They're one step ahead of us," she said. "Natsu can you smell her?" Natsu, who was now snapped out of his thoughts,put his nose to work. After a few minutes of painful waiting, his eyes widened.

"She's...I don't understand," he muttered. He sniffed a bit more. "I'm sure of it. She's in the inn basement." Gray, who was surprised at his words, looked at Natsu dubiously.

"Why would she be there?" he asked. He looked at Erza, who was frozen stiff. Her eyes were wide, and her mouth was formed in a thin line. What she said next surprised everyone.

"We've been doublecrossed."

* * *

Lucy opened her eyes. Immediately, she winced. All her limbs ached, and it was difficult to breathe. She attempted to get up, but failed.

"Where...am I?" she whispered, taken aback by the hoarseness of her voice. A surly man turned towards her, and grinned at her sadistically. She gave him a cold glare, growling at him. He laughed at her, approaching the cell she was kept in confidently.

"You're in the inn basement, it's 7:00 in the morning, and you've just been captured by Silver Chimera's forces," he responded. She looked at him in surprise.

"T-that isn't possible. We defeated Silver Chimera yesterday," she said, wincing again. He hummed in response.

"Oh did you? Weak, weren't they?"

"W-well, yes," she said. "But I don't what that has to do with you." The man laughed again, but this time it was loud and violent, and it scared her.

"What if I told you there were more mages than the ones you saw that day?" he asked her, and she snarled in response. He continued. "In fact, what if I told you that this inn you've been staying in is actually the Silver Chimera guild hall?" Her eyes widened, and she didn't trust herself to speak. Her heart was jumping out of her chest, and she felt trembles of fear shiver up her spine. _No_.

"B-but...what about those villagers?" she said, refusing to believe the truth. He sneered at her innocence, picking his nose.

"Actors. We promised them pay, but them killed them so we didn't have to," he responded. "Just face it. You fairies were completely fooled, and you've only got yourself to blame." Lucy felt tears come to her eyes. _This whole job was just a trap_.

"They'll come for me," she said defiantly. He snorted.

"Not a chance," he said. "They'll be killed before they can even reach here. I guarantee it."

"Don't underestimate fairies," she said. He turned his back, giving another violent laugh. She got up, gripping her keys. "And don't underestimate me." He turned around, his eyes widening and a cold sweat forming on the back of his neck.

"Wait, how are you even able to stand? Do you know what this air does to magic users?" he asked. "Listen, for your own health you should-"

"Star Dress: Leo!" she screamed. "Regulus: Lion Brilliance!" In a flash of light, the cell bars shattered, and the man collapsed. She smirked, running out quickly. She smelled the air, her nose scrunching.

"What is that smell?" she asked herself, before putting her hand on the wall. "Never mind. I should get back to the room, to warn the others."

* * *

"This place smells funky," Natsu said,making a face. "Don't you guys smell that?" Happy nodded, covering his nose.

"Is this the basement, Natsu?" Erza asked, and he nodded. Immediately, mages launched themselves at them, and Erza widened as she felt a fist connect with her stomach. She coughed up some blood, and moved back.

"Erza?!" Gray asked, looking at her in worry.

"These mages are on a whole new level than those we faced yesterday," she said, clutching her abdomen. "And, what's more, they don't even use magic." Gray stepped in front of her, defeating a couple of the mages.

"Regulus Impact!" a woman's voice screamed, and Natsu smiled. After managing to defeat a few more mages, he smiled at her.

"Lucy!" he called out in relief, yet frowned at her condition. Her legs were trembling, and she was unnaturally pale. She looked at him with exhaustion in her eyes, before beginning to fall to her knees. Instead of feeling the impact of the ground on her body, she felt two cool hands wrap around her. Gray lifted her up bridal style, and she smiled at him weakly.

"You've really gotten strong, haven't you Lucy," he says, and she laughs at his statement. Natsu joined the two, ruffling the blonde's hair with an affectionate smile on her face.

"I guess you've found out about our little mess-up," he said. "But you don't need to worry. You already did enough. Rest up,'kay?" She nodded her head. The Salamander turned to Gray suddenly. _You better not screw this up, Ice Princess_.

"Popsicle, take Lucy out of here," he said, and the ice mage nodded. Natsu then turned to Wendy and Carla.

"You guys go back to tell Grandpa what happened," he said. "Happy, you go with Ice Brain and Lucy." He looked at Erza, and she smiled at him. He turned his back, and smiled confidently. He punched his fist to his palm.

"Erza and I will handle things here!"

* * *

 **Were you guys surprised?! I'm so evil. I'll be updating shortly. Hopefully, I can finish the whole entire story today. See ya!**

 **~Hiraethe**


	3. That Funky Air

**We are halfway done with this story! It's hard to believe how fast I move through these things. If you like these types of stories better than my usual drabbles, please put that in your review (this is for the readers who have read my other story).**

* * *

Wendy rubbed her eyes. Each step was becoming increasingly difficult, and she was forced to take deep breaths. The whole thing perplexed her. She hadn't even used any of her magic, so why did she feel so...drained?

The dragon slayer looked at Carla. She looked tired as well. They were indeed moving slower than before, and Wendy put her hand on a trunk to steady herself. She let out shaky breaths, her knees beginning to collapse beneath her. Carla's eyes widened.

"Wendy...Wendy!" she said, watching in horror as the girl fell unconscious. Her limp figure lay on the floor, and there were dark circles beneath her eyes. Carla watched in silence for a minute, unable to process what had just happened. She opened her mouth to call for help, but she felt her eyes grow tired. The world began to spin, and she fell to her knees.

And darkness fell.

* * *

Natsu and Erza defeated another wave of the mages. It was becoming difficult to move. The dragon slayer glanced at Erza, who looked like she was about to pass out. In an explosion of worry, he took her hand.

"Erza, are you okay?" he asked her, and she stared at him with exhaustion. He smelled the air again, cringing. _Damn, that was some bad smelling air_. As soon as he did, he felt extremely light headed, and he stumbled.

"This air isn't normal," she murmured. "I don't like it. We should finish this off as quickly as possible." The Silver Chimera mages laughed at her. One of them licked the edge of his sword, fixing her in a condescending glare.

"Getting tired?" he asked them, and Natsu glared at him. "Imagine it. The Salamander and the famed Titania losing to Silver Chimera. Think of the glory we would get. Hell, we'd be the top mage in all of Fiore!" Natsu laughed at his statement, and Erza giggled knowingly.

"Beat US?" he mocked, incredulous. The mage glared at him angrily. Natsu grabbed him by the collar, his fist ignited in flames. "We haven't even gotten started." Natsu punched him in the chin, throwing him into a wall. The other mages began to back away. Erza grabbed one, looking at the cowering warriors with a gleeful smile on her face.

"Who's next?"

* * *

Gray panted a bit as he made his way up the stairs. His eyes were growing heavy. He thought back to all of the activities that he had done in the past week. Sure, he had killed a few hundred mages, had a duel with Elfman, and had done more training that usual-but that would not explain the extreme exhaustion he felt right now. His breath hitched, and he felt his body sway.

"Gray, are you okay?" Happy asked, putting a hand on his shoulder. The ice mage smiled at the exceed.

"Why wouldn't I be? Yeah, I'm fine," he said. "I'm worried about Erza, though." Happy, despite his tiredness, giggled, covering his mouth with his paws.

"You llllike each other~," he said, and the ice mage glared at him. Lucy laughed at Happy's statement. She looked up at him mischievously.

"Don't bother denying it Gray, everyone knows~," she said, and he felt his face grow hot.

"Of course I don't. Now, let's get you back to bed," he said, trying to change the subject, but Lucy and Happy laughed at him even more.

Still though, he was so exhausted...

* * *

"Wendy!"

Cana kneeled over the blue haired girl as her eyes opened. Makarov also approached her, his forehead creased in worry. Wendy looked around. How...and _why_...was she in the guild infirmary? She looked at Carla, who was still sleeping peacefully.

"What...happened?" she asked, and saw Porlyusica approach her. Her face was unreadable.

"That is what we would like to know. Weren't you on a job with Team Natsu?" she asked. Wendy nodded slowly, before she began to remember the events that had occurred. Her eyes widened, and the guild members leaned closer curiously.

"Yes, I was. It turns out that the job was a trap, though," she said, and her eyes filled with tears. "The inn we stayed in was actually their guild hall. Before we realized, Lucy was captured. She's really hurt." Makarov grimaced, his eyes filled with anger. Cana wrapped her arms around Wendy,rubbing soothing circles on her back.

"Gray took her somewhere to rest, while Natsu and Erza took care of the rest of the guild," she continued, slowly. "Natsu sent me here to tell you all, but then I suddenly felt tired. I don't know why...," she said, before wincing. Porlyusica turned to her suddenly.

"Did the air smell weird?" she asked. Wendy, taken aback by her question, looked down at the white sheets that covered her.

"Well, yes. All of us were-"

"That's enough, Wendy. Thank you," she said, a serious expression on her face. Makarov turned towards her, looking for a report.

"That air that you all were breathing," Porlyusica murmured, so quietly that she was nearly inaudible, "Saps a mage's magical power. You most likely collapsed because of magic deficiency." Makarov and Cana gasped.

"Wait, if this is true, then doesn't that mean...," Makarov started, and Porlyusica nodded gravely.

"Certainly. Natsu, Gray, Erza, Lucy, and Happy are all in deep trouble," she said. "It might also explain why none of their mages use magic." Wendy gulped, reality hitting her hard. Cana felt her heart tingle, and she looked down.

"Gray..."

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Makarov said impatiently. "Those brats need us! Come on!" Everyone nodded, and Porlyusica turned to Wendy with a reassuring smile.

"You both stay here."

"But they might need me to heal them...," she said, but Porlyusica shushed her before she could speak any further.

"They would never forgive me if I let you do a rash thing like that. Stay here, and rest," she said. "You're out of magical power anyway." Wendy, who did not have the heart or energy to argue any further, smiled at her weakly, snuggling back into her bed.

"Bring them back, Porlyusica."

"I will."

"Safe and sound."

"I will try my best," she promised, and watched as the blue haired girl fell into slumber once more. Her smile disappeared at once, and she frowned.

Those _idiots_.

* * *

 **Aaaand there are only two more chapters! In celebration, in the reviews you can ask me questions (AKA age, birthday, favorite bands, my first name,whatever strikes your fancy). I will answer as many as I can. Anyway, see you in a bit! Time to work on Chapter 4!**

 **~Hiraethe**


	4. Epic Wind

**I think I'm kind of addicted to writing this fanfiction. Anyway, maybe I'm writing this too fast, because no one has reviewed, favorited, or followed my piece yet! And that makes me really sad, but I guess that's okay. I'll be a patient little girl. Anyway, we are officially more than half way through this fanfiction! Which is so awesome, and sad, because it only took me like an hour to write each, and this feeling of happiness and satisfaction will fade , let's get on to Chapter Four: Epic Wind !**

* * *

Gray, for once, was actually looking forward to lying on a bed and doing absolutely nothing but rest. In his opinion, it was much different than when Grandpa ordered him to do it. Besides, he was absolutely exhausted. He wasn't sure how much longer he could walk. When he reached the top of the stairs, and he let out a sigh of relief, and shakily opened the door. He was met by the blonde receptionist, who had a sadistic smile on her face.

She was as pale as before, her lanky body leaning on a wall. He hands were wrapped around a large sword. Gray hissed at her, looking at Happy. The blue cat looked run down, but he matched his glance with conviction.

"Happy, I know you're tired," Gray whispered. "I don't know, but I think something's dangerous about that air." The blonde smiled at his statement.

"I know you're tired," Gray repeated, "but I need you to take Lucy out of here. It's too dangerous to leave her here." Happy stared at him for a moment. After a few seconds, Gray outstretched his hands, confused at Happy's puzzled reaction.

"What are you waiting for? I need to take care of her, now."

"But, Gray, I don't want to leave you here alone...,"

"I'll be fine, okay?" the ice mage responded, ruffling Happy's fur as he spoke. Happy gave him a look that said _I'm pretty sure you won't be_ , but conceded, taking Lucy from his hands. Lucy stared back at Gray, a worried expression in her eyes.

"Be careful, Gray...," she murmured, her voice breaking. He nodded, before turning towards the blonde. She had unsheathed her sword. He created a sword of his own. They bounded towards each other, sword clashing against sword in lightning speed. They bounced around the room, too quick for any of them to realize, and they burst back, each breathing heavily.

The blonde smiled as Gray dropped to his knees, clutching his chest in pain.

"Finally,someone interesting," the blonde said. "You're very powerful, you know." He looked at her in exhaustion. Now he was positive that something wasn't right.

"However,you'll never be as powerful as I am," she said with a sneer, kicking him in the stomach sharply. He coughed up some blood, screwing his eyes shut to take deep breaths. She snickered. It was a disgusting, greedy, dying laugh. It made him sick.

"I guess it's time to finish you off, then," she hummed, before smiling widely. She laughed wildly, recklessly bringing her sword down upon him. Gray desperately tried to move his hand, thinking of the one thing that could get him up right now...

 _She HURT Lucy..._

He managed to get back on his feet, countering her sword with his own. With another sword formed in his hand, he cut her stomach. She let out a pained scream, clutching her chest. She looked at him furiously.

"You DON'T want me to get angry," she warned. "I'm done playing."

"Really?" he said, taunting. "Then, so am I."

And, in another burst of energy, they bounced back towards each other, fire burning in their eyes.

* * *

Porlyusica sighed.

She didn't know why so many people had decided to come. Cana, Gajeel, and Juvia were all squished in the carriage with them, all of them wearing grave expressions. Makarov was sitting with Porlyusica, too immersed in his own thoughts to notice the startling number of people in the very tiny carriage they had decided to use.

Gajeel , who was squished in between Juvia and Cana, looked at both of them in worry. Juvia was holding a Gray doll in her arms, hugging it as tight as she could. Cana also seemed worried, staring at the window emotionlessly. She didn't blame them. Magic deficiency was no laughing matter...if they hadn't gotten to Wendy as quickly as they did, then she would be freaking DEAD, along with Carla. As it was right now, he wasn't even sure that the others were alive, even though they weren't children like Wendy. They had been exposed to the air much longer, and they were most likely fighting as well. Not the best combination when your magic is decreasing rapidly for no clear reason.

"GAJEEL!"

The iron dragon slayer looked up to see Happy carrying Lucy. The carriage stopped, and Happy squeezed in, laying Lucy gingerly on the couch. She was sleeping peacefully now. Happy, though tired, seemed to be feeling a lot better.

"Apply the medicine to her, Porlyusica," Makarov said, and she nodded. Gajeel looked away to see Juvia fighting back tears. It must be hard to hear that your crush of two years is going to die because of some stupid mission. Gajeel winced. Gray had been one of his closest friends in Fairy Tail, as had Natsu. They were his rivals, and he was theirs. Erza, who was stronger than all of them, was a form of strength and wisdom in the guild. He couldn't imagine a Fairy Tail, hell, A LIFE, without the three. Well, he already knew that it would be pretty crappy.

Gajeel wrapped Juvia in a hug. She grasped his arms, tears beginning to slide down her face. Wordlessly, he squeezed her tighter.

"Hey, listen, Juvia," he whispered. "If you really love Gray, then believe in him. I know it sounds cliche, but it's cliche for a reason, you know." Juvia laughed despite herself.

"Yeah."

* * *

"You want to go slower?" Erza asked. Natsu, who was leaning on Erza for support, shook his head quickly. She looked up, taking a deep breath.

"I feel as if my magic is already at 0," she murmured. "It's strange." Natsu didn't respond. They went up the last set of stairs, and the scarlet mage smiled as she caught sight of Lucy's room. However, before they both could move any further, they saw a body smash through the door and crash against the wall. Erza stared at Gray, her eyes wide.

"Gray!" she called, leaving Natsu's side to kneel down next to him. The ice mage wiped the blood from his mouth, determination in his eyes. Erza helped him up. The blonde appeared in front of them, and smirked.

"How are you all feeling?" she asked. Erza turned to Gray in question. The ice mage sighed.

"Turns out that air depletes our magical power. Must be why we're not feeling so great," he responded. Erza and Natsu looked at each other in surprise. Everything made sense now. However, Natsu turned towards her, cockily grinning.

"Well, I have a little revelation too," Natsu said. "Because, see...we don't rely on magic to defeat our enemies." The blonde cocked up an eyebrow.

"We rely on our heart, our friends," Erza continued, her body shaking in excitement.

"And Fairy Tail!" Gray said, pounding his guild mark with pride marked in his words. The blonde stepped back in fear. They were so weak, so vulnerable...yet, something told her that she wasn't going to win this fight.

The three approached her, and she swore that their magical power multiplied to ridiculous levels. She gulped.

"And, in the name of Fairy Tail, we will destroy you."

* * *

 **Okay, this fanfiction is ending so soon. AND THIS CHAPTER WAS SO SHORT! I hate this habit of mine to be too concise. Believe me, it gets annoying really quick. I am sorry, this is kind of emotional. Just kidding! I don't know why I am writing it this fast, but I don't really care for the reasons. Anyway, I STILL have no reviews (or maybe I do, I haven't checked lately).Anyway, this fanfiction will either be finished today or tomorrow. See ya~**

 **-Hiraethe**


	5. Panic At the Inn

Today's my birthday...yeah, that's all I have to say. Hope you enjoy! ~ Hiraethe

* * *

Erza felt her eyes grow heavy. She stumbled to the left, but Gray, who had been watching her closely, managed to steady her in time. With a giggle, the blonde covered her mouth, wiping away the blood from her cheeks. She looked at Natsu, who in turn glared at her furiously. He reached up to grab his scarf, yet all he managed to claw at was cold, empty air. His eyes widened, and he felt at his neck desperately.

"Natsu...Natsu! What's wrong?" Erza asked. The dragon slayer did not seem to hear her. His hands moved in more frantic motions, and he let out a strangled scream.

"M-my scarf! It's not here!" he yelled. The blonde smiled, advancing towards him with sword in hand. Erza looked at her nervously.

"Natsu...,"

He didn't hear her.

"My scarf...Igneel...," he said, his eyes beginning to tear up. "Where did I...?" The blonde launched into a run.

"NATSU!"

This time, it was Gray who called his dragon slayer looked up, and his eyes widened. The ice mage had a sword grasped between the palms of his hands, the blade centimeters away from piercing his abdomen. Natsu's mouth dropped open, horror clouding his eyes. Gray glared at the blonde tiredly, letting out a growl before his hands slipped.

The sickening melody of cracking bones filled the air, and the ice mage coughed up some blood. He stumbled a few steps back, looking Natsu in the eye hesitantly. The dragon slayer extended a hand of support, his hands trembling. The ice mage winced.

"...Sorry, Natsu."

His body, casually, staggered, and fell to the ground. Natsu and Erza stared at his body, they're eyes widening.

"GRAY!"

* * *

Makarov looked out the window pensively. His hands shook beneath him. During these times, he often questioned his success as not only a master, but as a parent for his children. He closed his eyes, and his mind burned with a fading memory.

Makarov sighed, going through his paperwork. He scribbled his signature on a piece of paper, throwing it aside in irritation. He picked up the next piece of paper, and grimaced.

"Natsu, Gray," he said, beckoning the two boys over. The ice mage, who was the first to come,smiled at the old man when he walked over.

"Hey Grandpa, anything you need?" He asked, before being jostled by the Salamander. Natsu grinned mischievously at him, putting an arm around the ice mage.

"We have a request?" he asked. Makarov nodded.

"It asks specifically for both of you," he said, "I trust you two won't have any difficulties with each other, correct?" Natsu and Gray looked at each other with sheepish smiles, and Makarov laughed at their guilty expressions.

"Gray...," Lucy murmured, putting a hand on his shoulder. "You don't mean that you and Natsu were planning on going without us, right?" Erza slammed Natsu against her armor's breastplate, closing her eyes.

"That is true, Master," she said, opening her eyes to give him a small smile. "Imagine the damage those two would commit if not supervised."

There really was no separating them.

"Alright, alright," he said, giving in. A cheer erupted among them, and Natsu and Happy rushed out of the guild immediately. Wendy looked at Gray, a smile on her face.

"I can't wait to show you how much I've improved!" she chirped. "With my magic, I can do more than ever!"

Makarov felt his lips tremble. If what Porlyusica said was true-that the air in the inn was robbing them of their magical energy-then they were in an extremely dangerous position. A bony hand rested on his shoulder. Porlyusica gave him a sad smile.

And his heart bent, just a little.

* * *

The blonde snickered, making Natsu whip his head back to her. She ruffled her hair, blue eyes stained with blood lust. The Salamander looked at Gray's unconscious figure, and he grimaced.

"Gray...," he murmured, his voice breaking. Because, for the first time since the Tartaros Fight, this felt real.

And, deep down, something snapped.

"DAMN YOU!" he cried, anger rollercoasting through his voice. Fire began to circle around him, his whole body engulfed in brilliant flames. The blonde's eyes softened, her face illuminated by dragon dust.

"So this is the power of a dragon...," she whispered, her head falling back gently. "How beautiful...," Suddenly, lightning burst around his flames, his power doubling. The blonde winced, stepping back.

"ROAR OF THE FIRE LIGHTNING DRAGON!" Natsu yelled, releasing the last of his magic. Erza prepared for her to block the attack, yet, the blonde never did. She stood, frozen in place, her eyes not seeing, and everything was beautiful. However, it only lasted for a moment, and her body was blasted by flames.

A body hit the ground, and, seconds later, two bodies did the same.

* * *

Makarov threw open the door, and swallowed hard.

Four bodies littered the floor. He looked at Natsu, his face peaceful as he let out easy breaths. ext to him was Erza. Her scarlet hair was scattered around her, and her face unreadable. His eyes switched to Gray, who, by far, looked the worst. 

He wasn't even sure that he would be okay.

He watched as Cana knelt down next to him, stroking his hair in regret.

"If I had been there...," she said, choking. "Dammit...Gray...," The card mage felt a hand on her shoulder, and she looked up. Gajeel sat down next to her, pulling her into a tight hug. Cana muttered something into his chest, hugging him back.

"Let's get out of here," Gajeel whispered, looking at Makarov with an impassive countenance. Makarov pulled himself out of his thoughts, managing to open his eyes.

"Yeah."


	6. Empty Sheets

**THIS IS THE LAST CHAPTER! Maybe I shouldn't have written it so fast...now not so many people have read it. Anyway,this chapter might be a little too sappy for some of y'all's test, so...yeah. Here goes.**

* * *

Natsu stumbled along the labyrinth of hallways, breathing heavily. He forced his eyes open, teetering to the side.

"Excuse me, Dragneel-san?" a nurse asked, rushing over to his side. "You aren't supposed to be out of your room! Please go-"

"Where is Gray's room?" he asked, interrupting her. She gave him a strange look.

"What?"

Natsu rolled his eyes, becoming more impatient.

"Where is Gray's room? WHAT ABOUT THIS DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND?" He asked testily, his voice rising despite its hoarseness. The nurse winced at his harsh rebuke, pulling out her clipboard.

"Gray Fullbuster?" she asked, and Natsu nodded.

"Fullbuster-san is in room 304...but, he's sleeping right now... please, Dragneel-san, go back to your room...," she said, touching his arm hesitantly. He looked down at the ground, and then looked back at her with a large smile.

"I know you're trying to help me...but what will really help me is making sure that Gray is okay," he said. "That guy can be a bit...reckless." The nurse laughed knowingly, and pointed him in the direction of his room. With a nod of thanks, he was off.

* * *

Natsu pushed open the door.

Gray looked far too pale for his liking. His breaths were coming out in ragged gasps, yet his face remained peaceful. His shirt was off, and a bandage was wrapped around his torso. Natsu's eyes drifted to Makarov, who was sleeping on the hospital chair next to him. Cana, who was also immersed in a deep slumber, was curled up next to Gray, holding his hand tightly. Natsu sat next to the Master, crossing his arms.

He heard a gasp.

His eyes shot open, and he looked at Gray. Tired eyes stared back, and the ice mage gave him a weak smile. He still looked groggy from sleep, but, he was awake, and that was all that mattered right now. Natsu felt a spasm of emotions wash over him, but he dismissed all of them, save one.

"Gray...," he whispered, before his face turned angry. "What the HELL, Gray?" The ice mage rolled his eyes,closing them slightly.

"What do you mean? Nice way to greet someone right after they saved you," Gray said, his face unreadable. Natsu got up hastily, fire in his eyes.

"Did I give you PERMISSION to sacrifice yourself? To die on all of us?" he asked, his voice trembling. His voice dropped to a whisper, and he looked down. "Don't you realize how much you mean to all of us?" Gray, in turn, shot up as well, anger in his eyes.

"Well, how do you think it would make me feel if I just LET you get hurt, huh?!" he yelled. "Do you think I would just stand there, and watch you get a sword through your chest? I'm-" Gray suddenly gasped in pain. He screwed his eyes shut, taking deep breaths. Natsu's eyes widened, hesitantly putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Um...Gray...are you okay?" he asked. After a while, Gray's breathing returned to normal, and he opened his eyes a little.

"I guess we're all just selfish," Gray murmured quietly, smiling. "Too selfish to let our friends get hurt." He turned towards Natsu, a small grin on his face. "We _are_ friends right?" Natsu was taken aback by the question.

"Yeah, we are," Natsu confirmed, a nonchalant smile on his face. "But, I'm still going to kill you right after you recover." Gray smirked, chuckling before coughing a little. He snuggled a bit more into the pillows, and Natsu watched him closely.

"I'm going back to sleep," he whispered. "Check up on Lucy and Erza for me, okay?" Natsu nodded, watching him fall back into sleep. He shakily got up, but he felt something fall out of his eyes, and he wiped away his tears quickly. He grinned, ruffling Gray's hair quickly.

"Don't think the favor won't be returned, Ice Princess," he said. "We truly are selfish, aren't we?"

* * *

It took Team Natsu three weeks to make a full recovery. As soon as Natsu had regained his senses, his immediate response was to look for his scarf. Cana was glad to give it to him, saying that she had found it on the hotel floor. Gray checked up on Lucy, who had taken it the worst out of all of them. She was sulking in one of the corners of the guild, her eyes expressing nothing but sadness.

"Hey, Lucy," he said, touching her shoulder lightly. She didn't turn.

"I'm so weak," she said. "Why am I so weak?! Gray, I want to be strong like the rest of you." The ice mage, puzzled, sat down next to her.

"But you're not weak. You defeated almost all of the soldiers down there...let alone broke out by yourself," he said, and Lucy closed her eyes.

"I just don't want to be a burden," she said. Gray laughed at her statement, ruffling her hair in a big-brother fashion.

"Trust me," he said. "You're the exact opposite."

* * *

 **Aaaand we're done! How did you all like it? I'm a bit disappointed though...not many people reviewed or favorited...except for Absolute-ZERO99 (thanks, I can always count on you). Sorry that the chapters are so short...that's just my style. I promise you...it takes me more than ten times the amount of time to write the piece than it takes you to read it. Anyway...QUESTION! Should I go back to drabbles, or should I write another story? If you want me to write another story, please tell me!**

 **Also, should I continue the Grayza Drabbles? Your opinions are VALUED! Also, if you have any questions you want to ask me (e.g. how old am I?), feel free. I might answer them. MIGHT.**

 **Anyway, I guess this fanfiction is over...the rest is rust and stardust, really (Lolita, anybody?). PEACE OUT.**


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